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Old 06-25-2018, 01:25 AM   #1
inertia
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Default Focusrite 1st gen new beta drivers

http://beta.focusrite.com/

Anyone tested these? They are supposed to have lower latency to match the 2nd gen but I don't think the latency is that much lower than before on my 18i20.
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Old 06-25-2018, 03:32 AM   #2
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Wow, I had completely given up on them ever updating the drivers for the 1st gen devices! OTOH, unfortunately they do warn about the possible serious crashing issue with the new release...(Can the installation of the firmware update actually be skipped with the installer...?)
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Old 06-25-2018, 11:12 AM   #3
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You have to run the firmware updater separately to install that. Otherwise, the drivers seem stable.

I couldn't resist and updated my firmware and made a mess of things. It crashed the system and messed up the sound card. I managed to put the older drivers and firmware back on without a problem and then reinstall the new drivers.

I had also given up on this. I mailed them around October 2017 and they said they were coming so I have been there to check every now and again.
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Old 06-26-2018, 05:17 AM   #4
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Took the plunge and installed the new drivers. Lost multichannel playback for Windows audio, not happy. Focusrite seems to have real difficulties in keeping things working with each driver release.
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Old 06-26-2018, 07:02 AM   #5
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Bugger!

I would definitely mail their beta support team and report any problems.
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Old 06-27-2018, 07:52 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by Xenakios View Post
Took the plunge and installed the new drivers. Lost multichannel playback for Windows audio, not happy. Focusrite seems to have real difficulties in keeping things working with each driver release.
Hi Xenakios,

Thanks for trying out our new beta driver. When you say that you’ve “lost multichannel playback” are you referring to the lack of an option to select different speaker formats from the Playback Devices > Configure menu in Windows? If so, we’re aware of the desire from some customers to have this functionality and we hope to add it again in a future update.

For now, you can access all of the inputs/outputs on your unit from ASIO applications – WDM applications will only access the first two inputs and outputs.

If you’re referring to another piece of functionality then please let me know and I’ll pass your feedback on to the development team.

Ben // Focusrite
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:17 AM   #7
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I would not be surprised if this is Focusrite trying to avoid a class action lawsuit with this odd firmware release. Their gen1 scarletts had/have a clipping issue with the instrument input.

Rather that release a firmware update and try to push the issue under the rug they should do the right thing and recall the faulty units.
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:39 AM   #8
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If we had a class action lawsuit for every troubling interface feature, then everyone who released a interface with only ASIO4All would be lined up and shot

We're lucky Focusrite has the balls to still support an older device. This forum is full of threads about manufacturers who abandonware their units in short order
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:51 AM   #9
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This is not a feature issue, this is out of the box functionality. Plugging your guitar in without clipping on the lowest input gain setting is not asking too much especially when the interfaces claims it can do this on the box.

I have zero respect for shady corporations that do things on the fringe of the law.
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:59 AM   #10
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This is not a feature issue, this is out of the box functionality. Plugging your guitar in without clipping on the lowest input gain setting is not asking too much especially when the interfaces claims it can do this on the box.

I have zero respect for shady corporations that do things on the fringe of the law.

I've had none of the clipping issues you speak of using the first gen 18i20.
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Old 06-27-2018, 11:05 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by LIL_Pay_Pay View Post
This is not a feature issue, this is out of the box functionality. Plugging your guitar in without clipping on the lowest input gain setting is not asking too much especially when the interfaces claims it can do this on the box.

I have zero respect for shady corporations that do things on the fringe of the law.
Did you contact customer support? I had a good experience with a different issue, they were very responsive and I've heard of multiple other positive experiences. Assuming it's not user error, your interface sounds like it's defective. I have a hard time believing FR wouldn't try to make it right.



Anyone noticing any latency improvements with the beta? Any other supposed improvements? I'm generally of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it " mindset, and mine ain't broke.
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Old 06-27-2018, 11:14 AM   #12
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I've had none of the clipping issues you speak of using the first gen 18i20.
I should have been more clear this effects the "lower end" models I dont recall the model names but they were the ones being sold for around $100 -$200

Focusrite is well aware that the issue exist.
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Old 06-27-2018, 11:16 AM   #13
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Did you contact customer support? I had a good experience with a different issue, they were very responsive and I've heard of multiple other positive experiences. Assuming it's not user error, your interface sounds like it's defective. I have a hard time believing FR wouldn't try to make it right.



Anyone noticing any latency improvements with the beta? Any other supposed improvements? I'm generally of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it " mindset, and mine ain't broke.
I did contact customer support. They were aware of the issue and offered to replace the pos unit with the same v1 unit. That would have solved nothing. The problem was with the mic pre/ line input.... Its a hardware issue.

Search " focusrite 2i2 clipping " if you are actually interested. You will get many hits.
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Old 06-27-2018, 11:35 AM   #14
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I'll get right on Jensen for releasing the JT-DB-E transformer used in zillions of commercial and DIY DI boxes for decades and across thousands of albums...

It can't handle EMG81's

Everyone's known that for decades yet people keep using it....class action lawsuit time!

Focusrite acknowledged that some pickups were too hot for the gen 1 DI input and compensated on the gen 2

And if you try hard enough ,you can definitely make a pickup that will be too hot for the gen 2 as well, or any other DI

No good deed goes unpunished I guess
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Old 06-27-2018, 11:48 AM   #15
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I'll get right on Jensen for releasing the JT-DB-E transformer used in zillions of commercial and DIY DI boxes for decades and across thousands of albums...

It can't handle EMG81's

Everyone's known that for decades yet people keep using it....class action lawsuit time!

Focusrite acknowledged that some pickups were too hot for the gen 1 DI input and compensated on the gen 2

And if you try hard enough ,you can definitely make a pickup that will be too hot for the gen 2 as well, or any other DI

No good deed goes unpunished I guess
What good deed? Were they giving the interfaces out for free or was the company charging money for them? The topic is about Focusrite I have no knowledge of anything about Jenson so I cant comment on it.

The honest thing to do would have been to stop selling the faulty product once they became aware of the issue and contact registered users and offer to fix or replace the unit with a unit that did not have the issue.

The v2 unit was not free either. Again I dont see a good deed, I see shady sales and Focusrite trying to sweep the issue under the rug.

They may not be responsible for producing the faulty mic pre since all of the parts are from other manufactures sold for cheap and made by Human Beings for less pay than what is legal in Western Countries, but they are responsible for the unit that they sell.
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Old 06-27-2018, 12:05 PM   #16
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Its not faulty, and it cost about the same as just the bare JT-DB-E without any of the parts you actually need to make that transformer work.

Is the JT-DB-E faulty? No, its just supposed to work in the range of signal its supposed to work in.

If you think the 1st gen focusrites are the only devices that clip on hot pickups, boy are you in for a shock. Many of the botique racked and boxed mic pres out there use a transformer that can't even handle emg 89's, nevermind the 81's! Sure you can attenuate the output, but the distortion is already there

Want one that won't clip, even on Duncan Blackouts? Prepare to pay the noise price when using quieter pickups

You could certainly add a pad circuit, but that's an extra feature (and usually priced accordingly) not a bugfix

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Old 06-27-2018, 12:18 PM   #17
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Yep it looks like the line input on the 2i2 is an issue for many. It's a hardware issue limited to the 2i2 (and other similarly priced interfaces), the 2i4 doesn't appear to have the problem. Seems like you got a couple options: use a DI to reduce to mic level, or upgrade to an interface with a pad switch.

Regardless, this is a hardware issue that has nothing to do with beta drivers.
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Old 06-27-2018, 12:26 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BenTS View Post
are you referring to the lack of an option to select different speaker formats from the Playback Devices > Configure menu in Windows? If so, we’re aware of the desire from some customers to have this functionality and we hope to add it again in a future update.

For now, you can access all of the inputs/outputs on your unit from ASIO applications – WDM applications will only access the first two inputs and outputs.
Yes, I am referring to that issue. I know ASIO works, but it's not entirely ideal. For example the VLC media player can not use ASIO. (And others, like Foobar2000 have oddly behaving ASIO implementations.) Thanks in advance if you can do something about the issue.
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Old 06-27-2018, 07:47 PM   #19
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Yep it looks like the line input on the 2i2 is an issue for many. It's a hardware issue limited to the 2i2 (and other similarly priced interfaces), the 2i4 doesn't appear to have the problem. Seems like you got a couple options: use a DI to reduce to mic level, or upgrade to an interface with a pad switch.

Regardless, this is a hardware issue that has nothing to do with beta drivers.
Its beta drivers and firmware.
Firmware is software for the hardware. The issue I was talking about has a lot to do with firmware if the firmware is there to lower the line level input.

I think the 2i4 was affected also.

I bought the 2i2 about three years ago and moved on from it to the 6i6 gen2 after a few months. Focusrite gave me a "deal" with the 6i6 but im not impressed with it either.
On their website the 6i6 looks like it 3 metal knobs on the front - one big master volume and two headphone knobs.... All three are plastic with a silver coating. The knobs them selves are wobbly and seem like they will break very easily.

Btw I also had a fire wire interface from them a few years back.... The damn fire wire chip burnt.

My experience with Focusrite is that they are a very shady company so I am naturally suspicious when they offer a firmware update for hardware that is now considered legacy.

It reminds me of apple with the faulty nvidea graphics cards for there 2011-2015 macbook pro's.
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:02 PM   #20
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Due to the number of devices that have this problem, and the general usefulness of it anyway, we should make a DIY pad thread. Its a valuable learning experience, and, what's a studio of ANY sort without a soldering iron?

Something like this would be cool, but hard to remember exactly where you had it set due to the continuously variable pot. Maybe replace the pot with some sensible switched resistor values

https://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/m...E_001.jpg.html
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Old 06-27-2018, 10:22 PM   #21
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Btw I also had a fire wire interface from them a few years back.... The damn fire wire chip burnt.
Focusrite made the mistake of following almost the entire market (with the notable exceptions being RME and MOTU) in using the DICE-II firewire chip, and I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding page after page of me charging a campaign against that monstrosity.

I will in no way defend anyone using that chip for using that chip...For a lot of the companies, they had already seen the failure rate of these things marketwide, the horrible performance, and the incompatibility, in addition to jokes of vaporware (did any company EVER get past channel 16 in the Dice-II mixer utility?)

But the idea on the face of it, that you would have a competitor in charge of YOUR driver seems like such a laughably bad idea that I shudder. So yeah, Focusrite, Maudio, Alesis, Presonus, and whoever else, I hope you learned a lesson from that one!
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Old 06-28-2018, 01:48 AM   #22
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We're lucky Focusrite has the balls to still support an older device. This forum is full of threads about manufacturers who abandonware their units in short order
Well they abandoned their first gen devices in 2014. Now they decided to resurrect the drivers, which came as a surprise tbh. I wonder if they will overhaul mix control also..
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Old 06-28-2018, 07:06 AM   #23
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after more hassles and troubles then I can take the time to write about, I just gave up on fukusrite.... sold the units and went to RME and never looked back... RME just works...

yeah, more money but if time [and frustration] are money to you then it is actually money saved.....

found good buys on big RME stuff on ebay and lived happily ever after
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Old 06-28-2018, 07:39 AM   #24
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Several years ago I have chosen 2i2 for our conference rooms (3x). While they was never used with ASIO, I can not remember a single glitch in functionality, the sound quality or drivers.
During the same time I had all kind of "fun" with other interfaces (Roland/Edirol, M-Audio, etc.).

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I bought the 2i2 about three years ago and moved on from it to the 6i6 gen2 after a few months. Focusrite gave me a "deal" with the 6i6 but im not impressed with it either.
On their website the 6i6 looks like it 3 metal knobs on the front - one big master volume and two headphone knobs.... All three are plastic with a silver coating. The knobs them selves are wobbly and seem like they will break very easily.

Btw I also had a fire wire interface from them a few years back.... The damn fire wire chip burnt.

My experience with Focusrite is that they are a very shady company so I am naturally suspicious when they offer a firmware update for hardware that is now considered legacy.

It reminds me of apple with the faulty nvidea graphics cards for there 2011-2015 macbook pro's.
So, you have chosen one of the CHEAPEST interfaces on the marked and have expected it is made of gold? Seriously?
For the money the box, knobs and sockets are top. The limitation with SOME guitars and far from the best latency was known from the beginning. You have bought something which does not fit your need, but that was your choice and not hardware mistake.

Shop for RME, be prepared to complain they also use plastic for encoders and buttons

But better look at Behringer rack mixers. They are cheap and have no physical controls which can break. From your posts, that is your primary priority in choosing equipment
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Old 06-28-2018, 04:49 PM   #25
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Several years ago I have chosen 2i2 for our conference rooms (3x). While they was never used with ASIO, I can not remember a single glitch in functionality, the sound quality or drivers.
During the same time I had all kind of "fun" with other interfaces (Roland/Edirol, M-Audio, etc.).


So, you have chosen one of the CHEAPEST interfaces on the marked and have expected it is made of gold? Seriously?
For the money the box, knobs and sockets are top. The limitation with SOME guitars and far from the best latency was known from the beginning. You have bought something which does not fit your need, but that was your choice and not hardware mistake.

Shop for RME, be prepared to complain they also use plastic for encoders and buttons
But better look at Behringer rack mixers. They are cheap and have no physical controls which can break. From your posts, that is your primary priority in choosing equipment
I know about RME, I know about Behringer and understand you are condescending me. Do you have an emotional connection to Focusrite?

Focusrite market these interfaces as being quality and boast about how reliable they are. So reliable that ' You can take the 6i6 on stage with you to record a show or to use for live soune' If they wanted to be honest they would market the interfaces to seem like an entry level interfaces not mid range interfaces. I knew it was not top of the line ( I cant afford a top of the line rme I live in the U.S.) but I did not think it was bottom of the barrel. Focusrite throw around the name Rupert Neve all the time to make you think Quality...

The point Im trying to make: Companies should market their products in a more honest manner and stop the 1970s used car sales men bullshit. I dont care if every company markets with gimmicky words in phrases. Im saying they all should stop the bullshit.


Here is a link to the 6i6
https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-i...s/scarlett-6i6

Do the knobs look like plastic in the picture? Do the output jacks look like plastic?
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Old 06-29-2018, 12:36 AM   #26
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Do the knobs look like plastic in the picture? Do the output jacks look like plastic?
Please name any "mid range" audio interface with metal knobs
Also note that material of the knob has zero influence on the sound, what is behind it (potentiometer/encoder) is far more important.

If someone has a computer for music ($1000+), play at least half way good music instrument ($1000+) and need reliable audio interface on stage, $1000 should also be not a problem. For $300 notebook with $100 guitar, $100 interface is fine

"Entry level" is Behringer analog mixer with USB for $50, Scarlett is definitively a step up from that.

Note that many companies just declaring several years old interfaces as "obsolete", so a paper weight (M-Audio, Roland). Some other do not care about bugs in "old" hardware at all or reduce functionality (Presonus, Behringer). As clearly visible in the subj., Focusrite is different.
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Old 06-29-2018, 01:41 AM   #27
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Azslow: Just to put this in perspective, focusrite have perennially had major issues with their USB interfaces. I am just glad to see them making some sort of effort to redeem themselves with this update - assuming it works.
I went from a perfectly adequate performance from a Mk1 saffire 6 to a total trainwreck when I switched from a Core Duo to an i5. Focusrite sdupport really dod go the extra mile for me, but to no avail. Tried switching (at their suggestion) to a 2i2 and then a 2i4 & none of them gave satisfactory performance on my laptop. I assumed at the time it was some sort of a hardware mis-match & eventually got out of focusrite & into RME, where I have happily stayed ever since, but for anyone still struggling with the early focusrite stuff, I say well done to them for at least making an effort to redeem themselves.
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Old 07-14-2018, 01:08 AM   #28
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Drivers have been updated again and the firmware updater is now working.

I am very happy with this. I've got much better latency than before and everything is working great.
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Old 07-14-2018, 08:06 AM   #29
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Updated. Multiple BSOD'S. Uninstalled. I'm just going to buy an rme and be done with this driver carousel.
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Old 07-14-2018, 01:48 PM   #30
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Nothing for the buggy 2i2 drivers
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Old 07-15-2018, 07:06 AM   #31
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Updated. Multiple BSOD'S. Uninstalled. I'm just going to buy an rme and be done with this driver carousel.
That's a shame. I have good stability with the latest updates. I am using an 18i20 interface.

I must admit...in the future I will be very careful to research driver stability when it comes to new hardware investments.
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Old 07-15-2018, 01:59 PM   #32
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That's a shame. I have good stability with the latest updates. I am using an 18i20 interface.

I must admit...in the future I will be very careful to research driver stability when it comes to new hardware investments.

In full disclosure I am not running the very latest windows 7 because any more updates will mitigate my old 2600 due to specter and meltdown fixes and I don't need a slower processor at this point. The new driver may work awesome conjoined with the latest windows build but that's not going to happen for me.

I am curios how the new Clarett line are working with windows 10 users as this might be an option for me when I build my new system.
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Old 07-15-2018, 09:29 PM   #33
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Updated. Multiple BSOD'S. Uninstalled. I'm just going to buy an rme and be done with this driver carousel.
Paying for RME is painful, especially in the US (they're evidently a good bit cheaper in Europe...) but it very much is "buy once, cry once".

It took me a long time, quite a few interfaces, and more money than I want to think about before I finally bought my Babyface Pro, and it just plain works at whatever latency I want to set it to.

If you're on a Mac, I would almost as strongly recommend MOTU, but they're more hit-or-miss on Windows due to less predictable interface chipsets in the computer itself. Still great if you have the right chipset, though - I could run my old 2408mkII down to 32 sample latency without too much hassle.
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:14 AM   #34
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Paying for RME is painful, especially in the US (they're evidently a good bit cheaper in Europe...) but it very much is "buy once, cry once".

It took me a long time, quite a few interfaces, and more money than I want to think about before I finally bought my Babyface Pro, and it just plain works at whatever latency I want to set it to.

If you're on a Mac, I would almost as strongly recommend MOTU, but they're more hit-or-miss on Windows due to less predictable interface chipsets in the computer itself. Still great if you have the right chipset, though - I could run my old 2408mkII down to 32 sample latency without too much hassle.

Hi Scott.

I've been looking at Motu myself and they look great as far as specs go but I need to do more research on compatible chips and their interfaces. They are a little bit easier to swallow than rme as far as price goes but not if they have issues with windows systems.
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Old 07-16-2018, 09:44 AM   #35
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Thinking about trying this update on my 18i8...

RME users: is it expensive / possible to get these repaired in the UK?

Cheers,
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Old 07-16-2018, 10:14 AM   #36
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Bit wary of all this ...
anyone updated an 8i6?
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Old 07-16-2018, 11:18 AM   #37
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Paying for RME is painful, especially in the US (they're evidently a good bit cheaper in Europe...) but it very much is "buy once, cry once".

It took me a long time, quite a few interfaces, and more money than I want to think about before I finally bought my Babyface Pro, and it just plain works at whatever latency I want to set it to.

If you're on a Mac, I would almost as strongly recommend MOTU, but they're more hit-or-miss on Windows due to less predictable interface chipsets in the computer itself. Still great if you have the right chipset, though - I could run my old 2408mkII down to 32 sample latency without too much hassle.
Do you have any thoughts on what might be different about RME's drivers than the drivers for other manufacturer's interfaces? RME has definitely crossed my mind multiple times. But like you said, ponying up for it isn't pleasant.
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Old 07-16-2018, 01:00 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by brainwreck View Post
Do you have any thoughts on what might be different about RME's drivers than the drivers for other manufacturer's interfaces? RME has definitely crossed my mind multiple times. But like you said, ponying up for it isn't pleasant.

I think they write their own drivers and other manufacturers use generic versions more or less for a one size fits all approach.
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Old 07-16-2018, 01:04 PM   #39
brainwreck
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I think they write their own drivers and other manufacturers use generic versions more or less for a one size fits all approach.
So basically, they are actually able to iron out any issues and optimize performance, where others are stuck because they are just selling shiny boxes.
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Old 07-16-2018, 01:28 PM   #40
brainwreck
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I popped into this thread in the first place because it reminded me of the experience with my m-audio/avid interface. It worked fine long ago on xp and had good low latency performance. Then I moved to windows 7 and the performance was terrible. Then a driver update came and things improved. Another came and it was terrible again. All along the way, a bug was never fixed for windows 7, and to this day it still crashes windows if I turn it off while it is enabled as the audio interface in any daw software. But at least the driver performance eventually got to an acceptable level again. The overall experience of the drivers has been pretty crap in all, though. Performance went up and down, a major bug never got addressed, and the high performance mode got taken away when moving to windows 7. So I can understand anyone being afraid to upgrade their current audio interface drivers for fear of breaking things or decreasing performance. But had a I bought an RME interface with a similar feature set to what I have, it would have costed about 4X the price, which made it a nogo. RME driver performance/stability sure looks attractive, but much less so when the price is taken into account. And since I don't really trust driver performance and stability for manufacturers of lower cost interfaces, I just stuck it out with the one I had. No since in paying more money for more crap.
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